HARDING 5, CENTRAL 2
The first out & about of the 2024 season was spent at Harding as the Knights topped Central 5-2. Both teams entered the contest 1-0 with wins last week over Johnson and Humboldt. With the win Harding joins Washington with two wins and no losses at the top of the conference race.
The Knights had three wins at singles and two at doubles. Doubles proved to be more competitive with two three set wins with Central taking first, Harding taking third. The Minutemen also had a three set win at second singles. The big spread sets (ten points or more) fell to Harding 6-0. In both singles and doubles Harding built up their strength increasing the margins in both.
SINGLES
1. Kimberly Tobar, H def Lennon Folstad 21-15, 21-6
2. Mayson, C def Gaohli Vang 19-21, 21-15, 21-19
3. Gao Zhia Vue, H def Susanna 21-16, 21-8
4. Tiffany Tran, H def Kaitlyn 21-10, 21-8
DOUBLES
1. Lucy / Clara, C def Linda / Gaohli 21-19, 19-21, 21-18
2. Kasey / Alisa, H def Danica / Annabelle 21-8, 21-10
3. Isabelle / Nay, H def Eva / Iris 19-21, 21-16, 21-16
BY THE NUMBERS
SINGLES
Matches: Harding 3-1 .750
Games: Harding 7-2 .778
points: Harding 181-124 .593
Set 1 points: Harding 84-60 .583
Set 2 points: Harding 78-43 .645
Set 3 points: Central 21-19 .525
decided by 10+: Harding 4-0 1.000
decided by 3-: Harding 1-1 .500
margin: Harding 6.333
DOUBLES
Matches: Harding 2-1 .667
Games: Harding 5-3 .625
points: Harding 161-132 .550
Set 1 points: Harding 59-50 .541
Set 2 points: Harding 63-45 .583
Set 3 points: Harding 39-37 .513
decided by 10+: Harding 2-0 1.000
decided by 3-: Central 3-1 .750
margin: Harding 4.143
FIRST SINGLES
Kimberly Tobar, Harding 2, Lennon Folstad, Central 0
(20-14, 20-7)
Harding’s Kimberly Tobar moved to 2-0 on the young season with a sweep over Lennon Folstad. Folstad now is 1-1 on the year. Folstad had trouble finding the court with her serve handing Tobar nine of her 40 total points (or .225 of the total). She had a string of three straight misses in the first set which helped Tobar to a 13-5 lead. Tobar had a jump start in that set with eight straight to lead 9-2. After the eleventh point in set one Folstad outscored Tobar 11-9, but the deficit was too steep to turn the tide. The second set was more of the same. Folstad led 2-0 when the missed serve bug bit again. That started a run of four for Tobar and then another missed serve on Folstad’s second service caused an avalanche of eleven more points.
Tobar did win the winner category 15-12 with a combination of five drops and four smashes highlighting the list. The fast point category (two strokes or less) was dominated by Tobar 18-4. Longer rallies were even.
If you are wondering why Tobar did not get 42 points on this list is because they called both games at 20 after some confusion and miscounting.
| Category | TOBAR | FOLSTAD |
| Side out | 9/15 | 9/16 |
| Longest side out string | 4 | 4 |
| 3+ Runs | 4 | 1 |
| Longest point string | 11 | 5 |
| SERVING | ||
| First serve | 2 | 1 |
| First point | NONE | 1, 2 |
| Service points | 25 | 7 |
| Serving % | 13/22-.591 | 39/39-1.000 |
| POINTS | 40 | 26 |
| Points after 11 | 18 | 15 |
| Points after own errors | 6 | 8 |
| Winners after own errors | 2 | 6 |
| STROKES | 142 | 82 |
| Strokes per point | 3.55 | 3.90 |
| 5+ rallies (%) | 9 | 9 |
| 2- rallies (%) | 18 | 4 |
| WINNERS | 15 | 12 |
| Aces | 0 | 1 |
| Blocks | 0 | 1 |
| Clears | 3 | 1 |
| Drives | 3 | 3 |
| Drops | 5 | 3 |
| Soft drives | 1 | 1 |
| Smashes | 4 | 2 |
| Even Stroke Winners | 4 | 6 |
| 2nd Stroke Winners | 2 | 2 |
| Odd Stroke Winners | 11 | 6 |
| ERRORS | 9 | 25 |
| Deep | 2 | 9 |
| Fan | 1 | 1 |
| Net | 4 | 6 |
| Wide | 2 | 1 |
| Serve | 0 | 8 |
| Even stroke errors | 2 | 16 |
| 2nd stroke errors | 1 | 7 |
| Odd stroke errors | 8 | 18 |
| Largest Lead | 13 | 2 |
| W:E Ratio | 1.667 | 0.480 |
| Margin | 9.50 | |
| Set Point % | 2/2-1.000 | |
| Time | 13:23 |